Expansible coupling member



July 17, 1923.

E. W. WEYRAUCH EXPANSIBLE COUPLING MEMBER Filed Jan. 12, 1922 IN VENTOR.

Patented duly 17, 1923.

nwALn W. wnvnanon, or noennsrnn, new Yoan.

intimi EXPNSBLE COUPING MEMBER.

Application filed January 12, 1922. Serial No. 528,733.

llxpansible CouplingMember, of which `the following' is aspecification.A

The present invention relates to an eXpansible coupling member andinoreparticularly to the type designed to expandwithin asoclreted or tubularmember for the pur-v npose ot producing binding` engagement with thewalls oit such soclreted or tubular member in order to maintainconnection with such member. An object of this invention is to provide aconstruction which may be readily expanded or contracted from theexTterior ot the soclreted or tubular member with the leastpossibleoperation. Still another object of the invention is to provide acoupling member which is designed for firmly engaging with `the interior`walls of a tubular leg of an article of furniture while providing abearing` :tor the stem of aicastor, said coupling member beingadjustable from the exterior of the'tubular leg to engage the memberwith or to disengage it from the leg. To these and other ends, theinvention consists oi? certain parts and combinations ot parts all ofwhich will be hereinafter described. in the appended claims. In thedrawings Fig. 1 is a side view of a portion of a tur` niture leg showinga castor connected there to by the improved coupling;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the coupling and the lowerportionof the furniture leg;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through a `furniture leg with thecoupling member therein;

Fig. 4l is a vertical section through a tur-` niture leg showing thecoupling in side elevation;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the central exteriorly threadedhollow post in side elevation; and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through another embodiment of theinvention in which the gripping member of the coupling Jforms arectangle in cross section. y

Referring to the illustrated embodiment of the invention shown in Figs.1 to 5, l in- `faces 1.0.' Normally the novel features being pointed outdicates a-portion ot' a tubularl `furniture legA which may be`ani/.tubular or `soclreted mem-` ber and Qthe castory wheel whichisjoury nailed on a yoke 3 from which a `rigid beary ing stem 4 prometsupwardly. The couplingl member forming the subject matter of .this

invention also acts as a bearing in which the stein 410i thecastorturns. llnthis instance, f

the coupling member embodies a cover plate fwhichabuts the lower endofthe leg" 1 to close the opening in said tube. Extending centrallyyfrom this cover. plateis a circular hollow post 6 which receives the-stemeeof the castor, the said stem extending through the upper end oi'the post andbeingheldy therein by a cotter pin 8 extending through n atransverse bore or` opening in the stem i 1 and cooperating with theupper end of the post 6.

Surrounding the post `is a pluralityot gripping members or devices 9whichg in this instance, have curved gripping iataces.` 10 ar ranged'inspaced pairs on each member. ifi; resilient member, in this instance,`in the.

iorm ot an annulus `11 made from` resilient wire ot helical formationsurrounds the grip-4 pingj members `9 and liesin grooves. 12 in saidgripping member between the gripping this resilient member 11 tends tomove the gripping members out of cooperation with the wall oif the tubeor Socket.

Movement off the. gripping inembers inte cooperation with the tubularwall or socket low post 6 and each having a curved bevelled 'p l5thereon which willcooperate or cam face with cam faces 16 on thegripping members 9. The member 13 is adapted to turn loosely` on thepost 6, whereas the member 14: is interiorly threaded and engagesexterior threads 17 on such post 6.

ln the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 6, the parts are thesame except that the gripping members 9a have annularly shaped grippingfaces 1()a so that they may engage in the corners of a square orrectangular socket or post la.

ln applying the eXpansible coupling member, to a soclreted member ortube,the castor is first Ifitted to the coupling members by passing thestem e through the hollow post and securing the stem in the post throughsul may be effected through a spreading means enter into bindingengagement with. the.

the cotter pin 8. The coupling member is then introducedinto the socketandthe coverr plate 5 is turnedgin a;` directionv which` causesv wardlyagainst the tension ofrtheresilient,

member l1 to cause the gripping faces 10 to isggsuch that; iti firmlyholds the coupling member. in@ engagement with the inner Wall ofrth'esocket or tubervvhile permitting the coupling memberto be readilydisconnected, this being effected by turning the cover ymember-f5 in theopposite directionin order to move the spreadingmember 14 upwardly onthe hollowipost 6 When thespring or device llwillfthrow the grippingmember out of 'Y gripping relation Withfthe innervwall'of the socket'or= tube.`

WhatIi'claimas my invention-and desiretosecure Letters :Patent is l; Anlexpansifble coupling' member comprising. a" socket cover'plate, a postrigid with andi extending centrally.` from said cover'fplate, grippingdevices surrounding said post adapted fto cooperaterwithv the Walls 'ofthe socket and spreading means fory said u thefcoverplate `and the post;y

2f Anexpansible coupling member comgripping: device operated bytheturning of prisingfa i cover.v plate, a post rigid :With andextendingcentrallyfrom saidcover plate,

f gripping devices surrounding said post and' two spreading members bothsurrounding the postonelV off-fwhich has a post turning loosely thereinand the other of which li screwn threaded .engagement with .the post.

An expansible coupling member com prising a cover member, grippingdevices mounted ousaidcover member and having each a pair ofgrippingfaces, a resilient device surroundingsaid grippingmembers between saidgripping faces, and. spreading `means for said ygripping devices. wallof the socket or tube. This engagement y 4. An expansible couplingmember comprising a cover member, a rigidipost extendving centrally fromthe cover member, gripv ping devices surrounding said'postand eachprovided With two gripping faces` and a groove between them, a resilientmember surrounding said gripping devices, and spreading means forspreading,` said` gripping devices operated through the turning of saidpostand cover member.

5: In combination With a: castor'h'aving 'a yoke. provided with awrigid'stem, a cover memberxhaving a circularIk hollow lpost in whichl saidstem turns, means `for securing thestem ina/the `post topermit'theturning grippingdevices surrounding said post andv both ofsaid'spreading devices.

engaged by k EWALD W. WEYRAUCH.

